“And he built the stories of the side-structure against all the house… And they rested on the house with timber of cedar…And the cedar on the house within was carved with knops and open flowers; all was cedar; there was no stone seen”
(1 kings 6)
Ever since King Solomon has built the First Holy Temple in 966 BC, made of the Cedar of Lebanon, many historical eras passed. However, the tradition of synagogues building has never ceased. The wooden synagogue became a symbol of Jewish tradition.
Types of Synagogue Furniture
The traditional structure of the synagogue has not undergone many changes over the years.
It includes the Holy Ark – in which Torah scrolls are kept, and the Bimah – a raised platform from which the Torah is read and services are led.
In addition to these two important elements, most of the synagogues are also furnished with a Cantor pillar, Kodesh Libraries where a variety of sacred books are stored, Synagogue Seating Systems which sometimes include storage cells and folding book stand, a mechitza that partitions men’s and women’s sections of the Synagogue, and other types of furniture.
Following are more details regarding each type of synagogue furniture:
Holy Arks
The Holy Ark is the central and holiest piece of furniture in the synagogue. Its purpose is to preserve the Torah scrolls and to separate them from the congregation.
The Holy Ark is placed in the eastern wall of the synagogue, facing Jerusalem.
Holy Arks can be designed in a variety of techniques, styles, and decorations.
Bimah – Podium
The Bimah is a raised platform where the Torah reading is performed. The open Ttorah scroll is placed on the Bimah table. There are various forms of construction for
the bimah table, depending on the type of Torah scroll of each community and according to the customs of the community.
Synagogue Cantor (Hazan) pillar
Synagogue furniture item mainly used in Ashkenazi communities. The cantor pillar serves as the standing place of the cantor – the prayer leader, who keeps standing
during the entire prayer time. The cantor pillar is sometimes used as a sermon stand, on which the rabbi or the speaker stands before the public.
Kodesh Libraries
Synagogue libraries are used to store prayer books, Chumashi Torah, Halachic books and more. Kodesh (sacred) libraries are constructed from high-quality
materials that enable the carrying of large quantity of heavy books. It is recommended to add shelf holders in these libraries.
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